Lincoln-Douglas debate began as a reaction to the excesses of team policy debate in high school. The idea was to have a debate focused on discussing the merits of competing ethical values in a persuasive manner. The famed debates between senatorial candidates Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas in the 1850s inspired the name and format for this style of debate. Lincoln-Douglas is a one-on-one debate, and as in team policy debate, the proposition and opposition teams are called the Affirmative and the Negative respectively. Format: A round of a Lincoln-Douglas debate consists of five speeches and two cross-examination periods.
Affirmative Constructive – 3 Speakers
A good introduction that attracts the audience’s attention and interest in the topic Clearly state the resolution Clearly state each of your arguments Support with reason and evidence
Cross Examination of the Affirmative by the Negative – 3 Speakers
Ask questions – have a strategy or at the very least a direction for questioning
Negative Constructive – 3 Speakers
A good introduction that attracts the audience’s attention and interest in the topic Clearly state the Negative’s position on the topic Clearly state the Negative’s Observations Support with reason and evidence
Cross Examination of the Negative by the Affirmative – 3 Speakers
Ask questions – have a strategy or at the very least a direction for questioning
Lincoln-Douglas Classroom Debate I: 2nd and 8th Periods
Lincoln-Douglas Classroom Debate I: 3rd and 5th Periods
Lincoln-Douglas Classrom Debate Propositions 1Lincoln-Douglas debate began as a reaction to the excesses of team policy debate in high school. The idea was to have a debate focused on discussing the merits of competing ethical values in a persuasive manner. The famed debates between senatorial candidates Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas in the 1850s inspired the name and format for this style of debate. Lincoln-Douglas is a one-on-one debate, and as in team policy debate, the proposition and opposition teams are called the Affirmative and the Negative respectively.
Format: A round of a Lincoln-Douglas debate consists of five speeches and two cross-examination periods.
- Affirmative Constructive – 3 Speakers
A good introduction that attracts the audience’s attention and interest in the topicClearly state the resolution
Clearly state each of your arguments
Support with reason and evidence
Ask questions – have a strategy or at the very least a direction for questioning
A good introduction that attracts the audience’s attention and interest in the topic
Clearly state the Negative’s position on the topic
Clearly state the Negative’s Observations
Support with reason and evidence
Ask questions – have a strategy or at the very least a direction for questioning
Response to Cross Examination Questions
Response to Cross Examination Questions
Restate position/contention/argument
Restate position/contention/argument
Conclude effectively
Conclude effectively